Overactive Letdown: Thar She Blows!

I have an extremely overactive letdown. I mean, we are talking Mt. Vesuvius erupts every time my milk lets down. I can literally shoot my milk across the room. Every one in the house thinks it's hysterical. However, when Parker is nursing, pulls off, and gets squirted in the face, he doesn't find it so funny. In all honesty, Parker really doesn't mind my overactive letdown. Part of me wonders if he won't take a bottle because he can't get milk as fast through the nipple as he does through my - ahem - nipples.

Some babies don't do well with overactive letdown and get frustrated. It can even cause them to lose interest in nursing, causing many moms to wean them early. Some babies choke and gag when the milk lets down, and constantly pull off and latch back on. If you're like me, this can send your chest into a frenzy!

Here are some tips for dealing with overactive letdown - some I've tried, and others I just found out about:

Pump or Express a little bit of milk before each feeding. (I had to do this with Lucy.) I would pump long enough until my milk let down, let it squirt for another few seconds, and then put Lucy on the breast. It really, really helped.

Only let baby nurse on one breast for each feeding. Sometimes you can even feed on the same breast two or three feedings in a row. I have *always* only fed on one side for each feeding. If I use both breasts, Parker eats too much and spits a lot of it back up. Another tip: If you experience engorgement on the unused breast, express enough to feel comfortable.

Do not wait until baby is starving to feed him. When baby is really hungry, he will attack the breast and can cause your letdown to become really strong. By feeding him at the first sign of hunger, it may make things better for both of you.

If you have a very overactive letdown, baby may become frustrated when the milk slows down. To increase the flow of milk, squeeze the breast while he sucks. (It sounds funny, but it really works!)

Lying down to feed baby can also help. I co-sleep, so I feed Parker at night while he's lying beside me. It's true that it really does make a big difference. If you're not comfortable lying down on your side to feed, I did read that you can also lie on your back and allow baby to nurse on top of you. (I haven't tried this, but can definitely see how gravity would cause the flow rate to decrease!)

Overactive letdown can be loads of fun. Heck - you can shoot your husband (with milk, of course!!) clear across the room if he makes you mad! ;) The tips above are ways to try and get beyond the overactive letdown and enjoy breastfeeding your baby. Don't give up!

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